Airplane helicopter



Nov. 19, 1929. w. 1. ONEILL. 1,735,872

7 AIRPLANE HELICOPTER I Filed May 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MIL.

v INVENTOR ma max 0% BY M ATTORNEY NQV. 19, 1929. w, QNEILL, L735,37Z

AIRPLANE HELICOPTER Filed May 2, 1928 z sneets snet 2IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVIIIIII I INVENTOR Patented Nov. 19, 1929 WALTER I.O'NEILL,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIRPLAN E HELICOPTER Application filed May 2,

The present invention relates to heavier than air flying machinesadapted for horizontal or vertical flight. The object of my invention isto provide an improved construction and arrangement of the supporting.surfaces and power apparatus of a combined airplane and helicopterhaving a large load capacity and which is characterized by the lowaerofoil resistance when the machine is; moving 1n a vertical direction,the ease of vide improved provisions for simultaneously varying theposition of the main supporting aerofoil and power apparatus relative toa central fuselage containing the pilot and major portion'of the load,and provisions for automatically compensating the various control cablesextending from the pilots compartnient to the control surfaces and powerunits during angular movements of the supporting aerofoil relative tothe central fuselage.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For

a better understanding of the invention, how'- ever, and the advantagespossessed by it, reference should be had to the-accompanying drawingsand descriptive matter in which I have illustratedand describedpreferred cmbodiments of the invention.

Of the drawings: I i Fig. 1 is a sideelevation partly in section ofone'form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 4 showing the controlcompensating means;

Fig. 4 isa front view'of the apparatus of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and i Fig. 6 is a planview of a modification.

In the drawings I have shown an embodi- 1928. Serial No. 274,387.

ment of my improved airplane-helicopter in which a fuselage A tapered atthe front and rear is provided with a pilot compartment A positionedabove and adjacent the front of the fuselage. 'On each side of thefuselage A, and suitably secured thereto is a supporting frame Bcomposed of a plurality of in- 'clined strut-s B. Each frame supports avertically positioned circular bearing member C at its upper end.

A tubular member D having a middle portion D of constant diameter andend portions D tapering outwardly is mounted for partial rotation in thecircular bearing members C. The tube D, as shown, extends transverselyof, and above, the middle portionof the fuselage A.

A supporting aerofoil E having a cross section of the thick wing type isrigidly mounted on the tube D. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

a part of its tapered outer portion D projecting slightly above andbelow the aerofoil surface. The portion of theaerofoil directly abovethe fuselage A is cut away at points E so that the aerofoil can beangularly moved relative to the fuselage without interference by thevertical supporting members. B. The front portionof'the aerofoil extendsacross the fuselage in a narrow neck E so that the aerofoil ispreferably built in a single unit. An aileronE is mounted on each rearcorner of the aerofoil surface.

In the aerofoil surface on each side of the fuselage and equi-distantfrom the longitudinal center line thereof, is mounted a horizontal bodyF of aerofoil cross-section in which an internal combustion engine F islocated for driving a propeller F The bodies F are incorporated in theaerofoil E and project above and below the aerofoil. The end portionsofthe tube D terminate in the bodies and form the support therefor. Thepropellers are arranged for rotation in opposite directionsas iscustomary in the art. Vertical and horizontal rudders F and Frespectively, are mounted on the opposite end of-each body F and operatein the slip stream of the propellers durlng both horizontal and verticalflight.

the tube Dis built into the aerofoil and has i The fuselage A isprovided at its underside with runninggear I comprising a framework Ivertically spaced and supported from the fuselage by a plurality ofdiagonal struts I The framework I carries two-pairs of resilientlymounted wheels I spaced longitudinally along the fuselage.

D at each end of the tube portion D. 'Bear ings H are positioned betweenthe ring'G- and the corresponding bearing member C. Adjacent each of therings G are mounted a pair of gear segments J on opposite por-' tionsof'the tube periphery and each of which extends througha sector ofapproximately 100. A'pair ofvertical shafts K, each of which has a wormgear K adjacent the upper end thereof, is mounted oneachside of the jaofuselage and arranged to engage the gear segments J. A drive shaft Kmanually operated, is operatively connected to one pair of verticalshafts K. The oth'er pair ofvertical shafts is operatively connected tothe drive shaft by gearing carried by transverse shafts K Thrustbearings K are mounted on each shaft K adjacent the worm K. With theabove provisions the tube D carrying the main aerofoil and power unitsmay be manually turned-relative to'the central fuselage A.

The combined airplane-helicopter heretofore described, is operated andcontrolled from the pilots compartment of the fuselage A. The variouscontrol'cablesL leading to the ailerons, horizontal and vertical ruddersand engine fuel control devices lead to this compartment. When theareofoil and power units are turned toward the vertical position,compensating means are supplied for maintaining a uniform tension on thevarious control cables.

My improved compensating "provisions comprise a shaft M carrying aplurality of pulleys M ,at-each end thereof journalled in a portion. ofthe supporting frame of the tubes D and arranged to guide the variouscontrol cables L towards a second set of pulleys N mounted on a shaft N.The shaft N is provided with a spur gear N at each end thereof. Eachgear N is positioned between atoothed portion G of the annular ring G-and a gear segment C formed on an extension of the bearing member O.Each member C is formed with a projecting wall C for preventing lateralmovement of the corresponding gear N As shown in Fig. 3, the gearsegments G and C extend through a sector of approximately 60 onthe .tubecircum ference. The spur gears N and shaft N in Figs. 3 and 4, are shownin the position for horizontal flight. Each control cable L passesvertically upward to and around a corwardly on the gear C respondingpulley M from which it passes down to and around a corresponding pulleyN on the shaft N.. Each cable is then directed upwardly to acorresponding pulley D mounted on the tube periphery and from which itis led to the element to be controlled. Intermediate pulleys O aremounted on the tube surface for directing the control cables.

With the apparatus constructed as described, on an angular movement ofthe'aerofoil and-power units toward the vertical, each gear segment G isrotated through a corresponding angle. This movement of the gearsegments rotates the corresponding spur ears N and causes the latter totravel upthereby displacing the shaft N and pulleys N vertically. Theshaft N and gear N are moved half the angular distance that the tube isturned. The movements of the shaft N on the stationary gear C are soproportioned that a uniform tension is maintained on all the controlcables carried thereby during angular movements of the aerofoilstructure. v

The airplane-helicopter of my invention s particularly characerized bythe ease in which the osition of the various parts may be change fromhorizontal to vertical flight or vice versa. The machine shown has alarge load capacity and the principal portion of the load is preferablycontained within the fuselage-A. The various parts to be moved from oneangular position .to another can therefore be made relatively light inweight and may be manually operated effectively. The aerofoil bodies F,the frameworkB, and the running gear I, are so proportioned th t themachine ma rise and land withthe aerm foil bodies in t everticalpositionwithout damaging the control surfaces on the bodies "In the modificationillustrated in Fig. 6,

the aerofoil bodies F are shortened in length to decrease the overallheight of the machine. In the modified form shown, the fuselage A isprovided with an empennage structure A? carrying horizontal and verticalcon'trol surfaces A and A, respectively. These con-' trol surfaces arenormally not operated during vertical movementsof the machine but areutilized during horizontal flight onlyf he compensating provisionsdescribed insure an effective control of the machineat all times.

' While inthe preferred embodiment ofmy invention heretofore described,I have illus-- trated the supporting aerofoil as being bodily movable asa unit, it 1s possible to arrange the structure with only the portion ofthe aero-' foil immediately around the aerofoil bodies F movable. Forexample, the structure shown in Fi 2 can be modified by moving theareofoil odies l closer to the fuselage andmalting the portion of theaerofoil between the fuselageand including the aerofoil bodies Fangularly movable. In such a construction the outer ends of the aerofoilcarrying the ailerons E are fixed in position.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I haveillustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my inventionnow known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in the form of the 'apparatus disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appendedclaims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may beused to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A combined airplane-helicopter comprisinga-ccnt-ral fuselage, a tubular member having tapered end portionsextending transversely of said fuselage beyond the sides thereof andarranged for angular movement about its longitudinal axis, a supportingaerofoil rigidly mounted on said tubular member and having surfaceortions directly above said fuselage, an aero oil body extendingtransversely of and rigidly connected to said first mentioned aerofoilat each side of said fuselage, a power generating unit in said aerofoilbody, and means formoving said aerofoil and aerofoil body froma'position for horizontal flight to a position for vertical flight.

2. A combined airplane-helicopter comprising a central fuselage havinglanding gear secured to the underside thereof, a tubular memberextending transversely of said fuselage and arranged for angularmovement about its longitudinal axis, a supporting aerofoil rigidlymounted on said "tubular member, the front of the portion of saidaerofoil directly above said fuselage being .continuous and the rearportion cutaway, an aerofoil body extending transversely of said firstmentioned aerofoil at each side of said fuselage, a power generating.unit in each aerofoil body, horizontal and vertical rudders on the rearend of said bodies, and means for moving said aerofoil and. aerofoilbodies from a position for horizontal flight to a position for verticalflight, said aerofoil, fuselage and aerofoil bodies being soproportioned that said bodies may be maintained in the position forvertical flight while the machine is land- 3. A combinedairplane-helicoper eomprising a central fuselage, a vertical supportingframe on each side of said fuselage, a circular bearing member supportedin each of said frames, a tubular member having a central portionmounted in said bearing mem bers and projecting tapered end portions, asupporting aerofoil rigidly connected to said tubular member,'anaerofoil body incorporated in said aerofoil on each side of said bearingmembers and projecting tapered end on the. front end of said fuselage, avertical '6 1 supporting frame on each side of said fuselage, a circularbearing memberv supported in each of said frames, a tubular memberhaving a'central cylindrical portion mountedin said portions, a pair ofgear segments secured to ,said tubular member; a supporting aerofoilrigidly connected to said tubular member and having cut-away portionsadjacent said bearing members, an aerofoil body incorporated in saidaerofoil on each side of said fuselage and equi-distant therefrom, saidaerofoil bodies being supported on the ends of said tubular member, apower generating unit in each of said bodies, a propeller operativelyconnected to each power unit, horizontal and vertical rudders on therear end J of each aerofoil body, and means in said pilot compartmentoperatively connected to said 1 gear segments for an'gularly moving saidaerofoil and aerofoil bodies.

5. A combined airplane-helicopter comprising a central fuselage havingtapered end portions, a pilot compartment mounted on. the front end ofsaid fuselage, a vertical sups porting frame on each side of saidfuselage, a j circular bearing member supported in each: s of saidframes, a tubular member having a central cylindrical portion mounted'insaid bearing members and pro ecting tapered end port1ons,a pair of gearsegments secured to the periphery of said tubular member adja- 1 centeach bearing member, a supporting aerofoil rigidly connected to saidtubular memher and having cut-away portions adjacent said bearingmembers, an aerofoil body incorporatedin said aerofoil on each side of Isaid fuselage and equi-distant 'therefrom, said aerofoil bodies beingsupported on the ends of said tubular member, a power gencrating unit ineach, of'said bodies, a propeller operatively connected to each powerunit, horizontal and vertical rudders on the, rear end of each aerofoilbody, and means in said pilot compartment operatively connected to saidgear'segments for angularly moving said aerofoil and'aerofoil bodies,said means comprising a pair of vertical shafts at each side of saidfuselage, a worm gear on each ofsaid shafts engaging a correspondinggear segment, and means for simultaneously operating all of saidvertical shafts.

6. A combined airplane-helicopter comprising a central fuselage, atubular member extending transversely of said fuselage and arranged forangular movement about its' longitudinal axis, a supporting'aerofoilrigidly mounted. on said tubular'member, an

' prising a central fuselage, a tubular mem aerofoil body extendingtransversely of said supporting aerofoil, control surfaces mounted onthe rear of said body, operating cables from said fuselage leading tosaid control surfaces, means for angularly moving saidsupportingaerofoil and aerofoil body, and compensating means engaging said controlcables for maintaining a uniform tension on said cables during angularmovements of said aerofoil.

7. A combined airplane-helicopter comber extending transversely of saidfuselage and arranged for angular movement about its horizontal axis, asupporting aerofoil rigsating' means engaging said control cables formaintaining a uniform tension on said cables during angular movements ofsaid aerofoil, said last mentioned means comprising a pulley shaftaround which said cables are passed, a spur gear at each end of saidshaft and segmental gears on the periphery of said tubular memberengaging said spur gears.

extending transversely of said fuselage and arranged for angularmovement about its horizontal axis, a supporting aerofoil rigidlymounted on said tubular member, an aerofoil body extending transverselyof said supporting aerofoil, control surfaces mounted on said body,operating cables from said fuselage leading to said control surfaces,means for angularly moving said tubular member, supporting aerofoil andaerofoil body, and compensating means engaging said control cables formaintaining a uniform tension on said cables during angular movements ofsaid aerofoil, said last mentioned means comprising segmental gearsrigidly connected to said fuselage, a spur gear on each end of saidpulley shaft engaging one of said gears, a second pair of se ental gearsmounted on said tubular mem er and engaging said spur gears, wherebysaid pulcombined airplane-helicopter comprising a central fuselage, atubular member msaera Signed at New York city, in the county of New Yorkand State of New York, this 26th day of April, A. D, 1928.

WALTER I. oNEiLL.

ley shaft is moved through half the angular distance through which saidtubular memher is rotated.

